Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Marcus Stroman had a strong 2013 debut for the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Sunday.
Prior to Sunday’s start in New Hampshire, the 22-year-old, who was suspended 50 games last August for ingesting a stimulant banned by the minor-league drug program, had impressed Blue Jays player development personnel with a strong showing in extended spring training on Tuesday.
Toronto’s first-round pick in 2012 out of Duke University, Stroman was being groomed as a reliever but was thrown in as a starter in extended spring training while waiting out his suspension.
“I feel like I’ve really been able to maintain my velocity through my core strength, flexibility and a lot of lower-body lifts,” Stroman told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi Saturday over the phone from New Britain. “Going into it I feel like I have the ability to start just because I can maintain my stuff and I’ve been used to it because I did it my whole senior year at Duke (14 starts, 2.39 ERA), it’s like I’ve almost been there before.
“I definitely enjoy getting in the routine and being on a five-day (schedule) because I know when I can pitch.”
The Blue Jays plan to continue using Stroman as a starter for the time being.
